What custom t-shirts cost in St. Pete, and why.
The honest version: what moves the price, how many you need, which blank to pick, and what to send. Read this and your quote will come back exactly where you expected. Or skip it and send the art; the mockup and price arrive within 1 business day.
Four things set the price
Everything else is noise. Move any one of these and the per-shirt number moves with it.
How many
Setup happens once, so every shirt after it is cheaper. The price per shirt steps down at 72 and again at 144. Ordering 70 instead of 72 is the most common mistake.
Ink colours
Each colour is a screen and a pass. One colour on a light shirt is the cheapest print there is. Dark shirts usually need a white base under the colours.
The blank
A heavy cotton tee and a soft retail tee can be several dollars apart before a drop of ink. Pick by who wears it, not by the picture.
Locations
Front only is the base. Add a back, a sleeve, or a pocket and each is its own setup and pass. A small left-chest plus a big back is the classic crew shirt.
The four blanks we reach for
We print on hundreds. These four cover almost every job that comes through the door, and each one has a reason.
Heavy Cotton Tee
The workhorse. Lowest cost per shirt, holds a print forever, sizes S to 5XL. Crews, events, fundraisers.
Jersey Tee
The soft one. Retail fit, lighter, feels like a shirt people bought on purpose. Merch, brands, staff who wear it all day.
Cotton T-Shirt
Between the two. Soft, true to size, wide colour range, XS to 6XL. Teams with a big size spread.
Ultra Cotton Long Sleeve
Long sleeve at a tee price. Outdoor crews, winter events, sleeve prints.
What to send, and what you get back
Five minutes on your side. One business day on ours.
Send
- Your art, in the best form you have. Vector is ideal, a big PNG is fine, a photo of a sketch works.
- The count by size. Rough is fine for the quote; exact before we order blanks.
- The date you need them in hand.
- Where it prints: front, back, sleeve, chest.
- Your own shirts? Say so and we price the printing only.
Get back, within 1 business day
- A mockup of your design on the actual garment and colour.
- An itemised price: per shirt, by size, total. No surprises at the end.
- A straight answer if a different blank or quantity would serve you better.
- One tap to approve. Nothing prints until you say the mockup is right.
- 10 to 14 business days from approval, printed here in St. Pete, delivered free in St. Pete.
Questions about cost
The ones people ask before they ask for a quote.
How much do custom t-shirts cost in St. Pete?
It depends on three things: how many, which blank, and how many ink colours. A one-colour print on a heavy cotton tee at 36 pieces is the low end; the per-shirt price drops again at 72 and 144. Send the art and the count and you have an exact itemised price within 1 business day, with the mockup.
Why is the minimum 36 shirts?
Screen printing sets up once per colour and then runs fast. Below about 36 pieces the setup outweighs the run and you are paying for the wrong method. Above it, nothing else touches screen printing on price per shirt or how long the print lasts.
Does more ink colours cost more?
Yes. Every colour is its own screen and its own pass on the press. One colour on a light shirt is the cheapest print there is. A dark shirt usually needs a white base under the colours, which counts as one more.
Which blank should I pick?
Heavy cotton for the lowest price and the longest life. A soft retail tee when people will wear it by choice. Long sleeves for outdoor crews and winter. If you are unsure, say who is wearing it and we will pick with you.
What file do you need?
The best you have. A vector file (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF) is ideal. A large PNG works. A photo of a drawing works too; it just takes us a little longer to set up. You approve a mockup before anything prints.
How fast can I get them?
10 to 14 business days from approved mockup, standard. Faster is usually possible for a rush charge; call and we will tell you yes or no the same day.
Get the exact number.
Send the art and the count. The mockup and the itemised price are in your inbox within 1 business day.
real customers.